What is the Zero Moment of Truth?

Image courtesy of Brooke Cagle via Unsplash

Convincing Shoppers to Buy from You

Imagine this: you need to purchase a new laptop and you come across the latest model of MacBook. Knowing how much this new computer will cost, you decide to make sure you are making the best decision with your money. You pull out your phone and take the time to research the product you are contemplating purchasing. The information you find online influences whether you make that purchase or not. 

In marketing, this phase of researching a product is known as the Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT). This moment is critical in a buyer’s purchasing behavior because with one bad review, you risk losing a sale of your product or service.

Whether you’re a B2B (business-to-business) or a B2C (business-to-consumer), you must know your audience and take advantage of zero moment of truth for a successful digital marketing strategy.

The question is, how do you win in the zero moment of truth? Lucky for you, we have the answers.

Understanding Your Audience

Knowing your target audience is one of the main goals to a successful marketing strategy. Without understanding who your audience is, how do you know you’re selling to the right people who want to buy your product?

Image courtesy of Glenn Carstens via Unsplash

Part of knowing your consumers is knowing what questions they may have. When buying a computer, buyers want to know the specifications. Apple makes sure to list them out on their website.

You need to answer the questions your audience has or they will look for somebody else who can. During the zero moment of truth stage in the shopping process, you must be able to provide all the information that your potential buyers will be looking for. 

How Does SEO fit into the Zero Moment of Truth?

Another important initialism to understand is SEO. SEO stands for search engine optimization, which it is all about awareness and visibility of your brand. We see SEO in action every time we google something. As a business, your goal is to have your company’s website appear on the first page of results. Think about your own googling habits—how often do you click over to page 2, 3 or further down the line? Page one means you are in the 10 top of search results, which is a prime spot for consumers who are seeking information. 

To improve your SEO, you want to utilize keywords. Keywords are terms in your online content that connect search engine users to your webpage. To see what keywords rank highly, take a look at suggested searches on google. They are suggested because they are words that people are typing into the search bar. 

How Can Content Influence Consumer Behavior?

Just remember: helpful content is key. Your brand’s content should be interesting and capture the attention of your audience, while making it easy for people to understand and help solve the answer to their question.

Of course, exactly what questions you’re answering depend entirely on what you’re selling. Someone looking to purchase a pair of socks online is going to be looking for different information than a company looking to purchase B2B services. However, focusing on online reviews, promoting case studies, and including detailed product information is a great place to start for every product or service.

Focus on the length, formatting, and writing on your content to improve your SEO. With good SEO, your consumers’ zero moment of truth will be spent on your site rather than your competitor’s. 

Image courtesy of Myriam Jessier via Unsplash

Reviews, Reviews, Reviews 

Who doesn’t love free marketing? User-generated content, or UGC, is just that. During the zero moment of truth, buyers look to reviews when making their decision on whether to buy a product or not. That is because 49 percent of customers trust consumer reviews as much as personal recommendations.

It all goes back to knowing your audience. Listen to what your audience is saying and be sure to respond to reviews. It’s about building a connection between your company and your audience. After all, customer service is something people love to comment on. The better the relationship, the more positive the reviews.

When potential customers read positive reviews, they won’t second-guess their choices. Engage with your buyers and elevate that relationship to win in the zero moment of truth.

Further Zero Moment of Truth Resources

If you’re looking for even more information on the Zero Moment of Truth, check out the video below where Google elaborates on exactly what it means to them.

Live in the Zero Moment of Truth

Ready to improve your digital marketing strategy? Meerkat Media Group has you covered! We can help improve your SEO and maximize your user-generated content. Contact us to learn how you can keep your company in the spotlight during the zero moment of truth!